The release of the pioneer Grade 9 KJSEA results marked a quiet revolution in Kenya’s culture of national examinations. For decades, national exam days – KCPE especially – were synonymous with fanfare, tension, anxiety and a national fixation on top scorers. Parents sat glued to their screens, schools prepared elaborate celebrations, and the country held its breath for lists of “heroes” and “failures.” The stakes were extraordinarily high and, for many children, unbearably so. Yet this year, something shifted. KNEC chose a different path. There were no news conference-like gatherings, no high-profile pressers, no showmanship. Results were released from a boardroom, with the dignity and calmness that academic feedback deserves. For the first time in many years, Kenya witnessed an exam release devoid of frenzy – and the country exhaled.
During the respective 7.00 pm and 9.00 pm news bulletins, viewers saw something unfamiliar: normalcy. There were no celebratory crowds, no schools parading buses around estates with speakers blasting victory songs and no oversized placards displaying “400 marks” as symbols of prestige. There was no scramble by schools to outshine one another in an overnight performance contest. The neighbourhoods remained peaceful, the streets undisturbed, and homes noticeably calmer. It was as though the nation collectively understood that this moment belonged to the learners as individuals, not to an outdated culture of comparison and spectacle. It was very humbling indeed.
This shift was not accidental. It reflects a more profound transformation in the philosophy guiding Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). In CBC, the child is the centre – not the exam, not the ranking, not the public display of achievement. Learning is meant to be holistic and continuous. Competencies are built over time through engagement, practice and mastery. Summative assessments such as KJSEA are designed to guide progression, not define destinies. By choosing a subdued release, KNEC reinforced this idea. It reminded the country that examinations should be formative, humane and reflective of learning – not instruments of judgment.
For years, national exams were treated as life-defining events. A three-digit score could summarise a child’s entire identity. Families celebrated or despaired depending on a single announcement. Learners who did not score highly often felt branded for life, their confidence damaged, and their aspirations shaken. In some unfortunate cases, candidates would commit suicide after failing in exams. Parents carried the weight of expectations, sometimes projecting their personal dreams onto their children. Schools invested heavily in performance branding, often pushing learners through rigid drilling in pursuit of national recognition. The result was an ecosystem of pressure, fear and unhealthy competition. Days after KCPE results were out, private schools would buy ad space in local dailies to brag. This is now history.
But this time, the atmosphere was different. Children accessed their results quietly, often from home. Parents supported them calmly rather than in alarm. Without the pressure of TV cameras and public rankings, every learner had the dignity of receiving and processing their results privately. The evening felt more humane, more grounded and more fitting for a system that values growth over ranking.
This simple act of releasing the results without pomp may seem small, but its impact is immense. It sets a new national tone – one that appreciates that learning is a process, not an event. It signals that Kenya is finally beginning to detach itself from the outdated belief that academic exams are the ultimate measure of a child’s potential. In reality, exams only test a fraction of what a learner can do. They cannot measure creativity, resilience, emotional intelligence, empathy, innovation, teamwork or leadership. They cannot capture a child’s moral character, work ethic, or future possibilities. Reducing a human being to a score strips them of their complexity and promise.
The absence of noisy celebrations will also allow schools to reflect on what truly matters. Instead of competing for the most impressive performance, schools had the space to look inward at how they are supporting learners across competencies. Teachers, too, felt less pressure. They could appreciate the results as feedback rather than a referendum on their worth. This softer environment fosters professionalism, collaboration and the confidence to identify areas for improvement rather than hide behind marketing theatrics.
Parents, perhaps more than anyone else, benefited from this new approach. Without exaggerated expectations, they were able to look at their children with clearer eyes. A child remained a child – not a trophy, not a statistic, not a vessel for family pride. Conversations in many homes shifted from “How many marks did you get?” to “How do you feel about your results?” and “What competencies do we need to build going forward?” This is the heart of CBC. It encourages parents to be partners in learning rather than consumers of exam results.
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For the learners, this was a decisive moment. Many of them had internalised the fear that national exams would determine their future in one sweep. But the calm release has allowed them to understand that results are just feedback, not verdicts. A young person who sees exams in this light becomes more confident, more self-aware and more willing to grow. They learn to accept outcomes with maturity and to focus on improvement rather than panic. Such attitudes are foundational for lifelong learning.
What KNEC demonstrated was courage – a deliberate break from tradition. It takes institutional strength to step away from systems that have defined a country’s academic culture for decades. But KNEC showed that a new path is possible. By lowering the stakes, they elevated the dignity of the learner. By reducing public excitement, they promoted private reflection. By eliminating score-based heroism, they reaffirmed the equal worth of all children.
This is the Kenya the CBC envisions: a Kenya where learning is authentic, where assessments are supportive and where children grow without being overshadowed by societal expectations. A Kenya where the value of a child is never equated to a single academic exam. A Kenya where success has multiple pathways and every learner is encouraged to explore their unique abilities.
If this year’s quiet evening is the future of exam releases, then Kenya is heading in the right direction. It is a sign of a maturing education system – one that honours children as human beings first and learners second. The calmness was not a lack of excitement; it was a sign of wisdom. It was the system whispering, not shouting. It was a nation rethinking what truly matters in the journey of education.
Kudos to KNEC for the bold step. Kudos to parents for embracing a gentler approach. And kudos to the learners who, in silence, carried themselves with dignity. The future of education is indeed brighter when exams serve children – not the other way around.
By Ashford Kimani
Ashford teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub-county and serves as Dean of Studies.
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